Nerano is a fishing and peasant village, whose activities date back to the end of time… like its origins!!
It is quite confirmed that its name derives from the Emperor Tiberio Nerone, who used to spend much of his free time in his summer estate in Capri. It is told that during one of his boat trip he got to Marina del Cantone and enchanted by its beauty Nerone took the decision to have another villa built in this area. From the Emperor's name Nerone derives the Latin name of the village Neronianum, today known as Nerano.
Before the Romans the Greeks had already explored this area and gave it the name of Promontorium Minervae, due to the presence of a temple dedicated to the goddess. At a short distance it is visible the fiord of Crapolla whose name derives from a temple dedicated to god Apollo. Even the Greek philosophers Plinius and Aristotle were well acquainted with the area and wrote that Nerano had a wonderful blue/green sea.
Nerano at first was a district of Massa Lubrense and it shared the same history of Sorrento Peninsula when they both were sacked by the Saracens in 1558 and more than 1000 inhabitants were taken to Constantinople following a massacre started on Nerano shores and extended up to the Gulf of Naples.
Because of the two world wars during the previous century Nerano had very urgent problems concerning famine and of course fear. But nowadays it is well known as a seaside resort from Italians and in all over the world.
Nerano beach is called Marina del Cantone and it is composed of round and plain shingles of different sizes. This is the only area which can be reached by car in place of long walking. At the village entrance the eye is caught from an old palace which preserves the ancient stone balconies. Other ruins witness the rich economy of the Roman trade, due to which they could build several villas like Isca ruins. Marina del Cantone was part of 'Lari' district which dates back to 1489. From Nerano there is an old narrow steep road made of steps along which the little chapel dedicated to the Virgin Conception was built in 1883. Carrying on there is Palazzo Vespoli which belonged to the Carthusian monks and depended from San Martino Abbey in Naples until the reign of Ferdinand IV, king of Naples. The fishing village is overlooked from S.Antonio chapel dated 1646.
Nerano village is built starting from the bottom of the beach and is overlooked vertically from Mount San Costanzo. It is situated on the conjunctions of Salerno and Sorrento coasts where the natural landscape is particularly luxuriant and the rocks alternate with acres of Mediterranean vegetation and olive trees.